Opinion

  To me, the word “hello” is a big deal.

  I was at the store the other day and I encountered three different people I know. I encountered them, but shamefully, I did not say hi to any of them.

  In a few days many of us will gather with family and friends to celebrate the holidays and ring in a new year. It is the time of year when we give thanks, open our hearts, make plans and goals for the future and reflect on the past.

  It can be a wonderful time. Think about it: Many of your most cherished memories were probably made during this time of year.

  At Feather Publishing, we can’t help looking back at the year. We are flipping through the pages of this year’s papers to compile our Year in Review feature that will appear in next week’s editions.

  A guest grabs her coat, bundles up and heads toward your front door. The weather outside is nasty, cold and wet. It’s winter in Plumas County.

  “Drive safely,” you tell your friend.

  “I will,” she responds.

  Drive safely … We utter those words so often that we probably don’t even think about what they really mean. Drive safely has become an obligatory parting gesture. We use it in place of “goodbye” or “take care.” But we shouldn’t. They really don’t really have the same meaning.

  With the recent turmoil reemerging between Israel and Palestine, I can’t help but ponder the significance, or lack thereof, of all the fighting.

  The division between the two has gone on since before the formation of Israel in 1948. Jews from Eastern Europe fled to Palestine to escape pogroms. Resistance to the migration was evident then, but picked up mainly during the massive exodus of Jews after World War II.

  The many reasons, claims and justifications of war are too numerous to mention, or even comprehend. Both sides lay justifiable claim to the area, a fact that intensifies the conflict.